Savings-bank.



W. S. HARPSTBR.

SAVINGS BANK.

APPLIOATIOH nun r1111. 8, 1911.

990,260. Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

. awvemfoz William flfiwrpster M 6 U ,5 :4 m

- Av, Mammy WILLIAM S. HARPSTER, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SAVINGS-BANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Application filed February 8, 1911. Serial N 0. 607,344.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM S. Ham STER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Savings-Banks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved pocket savings bank of simple and economical form adapted especially for use in collecting coin for religious and charitable organizations. It is not, however, confined to this use.

The invention is embodied in the construction herein shown and described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a central sectional view showing the trapping device. Fig. 2 is an exterior edge view of that side of the device containing the coin slot. Fig. 3 is a section on the line mm Fig. 1 showing the trapping device or spring in normal position, and Fig. L is a similar view showing the trapping device as operated by an entering coin.

In the views 5 designates the receptacle which is of liberal capacity and of ordinary circular pill box form except that the cover 5 is clenched on so that it cannot readily be removed except by the application of a suitable special tool. The rim of the box is furnished with a coin slot 5 adapted to admit a coin of any desired specific denomination, as for example a dime. On the inner side of the rim of the box is soldered at 6 the two arms of the trapping device 7 said device being, in the instance shown, substantially of the form of a curved vertically elongated U or staple. The said trapping device 7 is formed of a piece of stiff spring wire and is soldered to the interior of the box so that the arm connecting portion 7' thereof lies transversely across and close to the slot and in position to prevent the admission of the coin except upon the application of sufiicient pressure to the coin to move the trapping device away from the slot and thereby make room for the passage of that article as illustrated in Fig. 4. Once the coin is within the box it cannot be withdrawn or shaken therefrom through the slot because of the interference of the arm connecting portion 7 of the trapping device which is backed by the rim of the box. To remove the coin, therefore, the cover 5 must be pried oil or the box grossly and plainly mutilated for that purpose.

The form of the box and the form of the spring trapping device within limits can be changed without departing from the gist of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A savings bank for coins comprising, in combination, a box provided with a coin slot, and a coin trapping device cooperating with said slot consisting of a spring armed device rigidly secured at one end to the interior of the box and adapted to yield toward the center of the interior of the box, said armed device having at its free end a transversely extending portion lying across the slot, said device adapted to permit the passage of a coin through the slot and laterally adjacent the arm of the device into the interior of the box by yielding toward the center of the box and to prevent the passage of the coin through the slot from the interior of the box by contact with the inner side of the rim of the box, substantially as described.

2. A savings bank for coins comprising, in combination, a box provided with a coin slot, and a coin trapping device cooperating with said slot consisting of a staple-shaped spring member rigidly secured at one end to the interior of the box and having an armconnecting portion at its other end lying across the slot, said springmember being adapted to yield toward the center of the interior of the box to permit the passage of a coin to the interior of the box through the slot and between the arms of the spring member, and by contact with the wall of the box to prevent the passage of the coin through the slot from the interior of the box.

\VILLIAM S. HARPSTER.

\Vitnesses BENJAMIN Fmoxnn, MAYME Foam).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

